Football Faces Texas Tech in Regular Season Finale

Oklahoma, already assured of a spot in the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game, guns for the outright title in the South Division when it travels to Texas Tech. The Sooners secured their spot in the title bout last Saturday with a 41-3 home win over Baylor.

Texas is the only team that could still tie OU for the South title, but the Longhorns lose the tiebreaker to Oklahoma by virtue of the teams' head to head meeting (OU won, 65-13).

This is the regular season finale for both Oklahoma and Texas Tech, although both teams have games remaining. The Sooners are headed for the previously mentioned Big 12 title showdown, plus both teams are bowl eligible.

Sooner Gameday Central | Tuesday Press Conference

THE POLLS
Oklahoma is the unanimous No. 1 in the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls and has been in every poll this season. Texas Tech is unranked.

SERIES HISTORY
Oklahoma leads the series, 8-2, including a 3-1 advantage in Lubbock. The Sooners have won their last three meetings with the Red Raiders, including a 60-15 decision in Norman last season. That conquest gave OU the Big 12 South berth in the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game. Oklahoma also won on its most recent trip to Lubbock, a 30-13 triumph in 2001.

THE COACHES
Oklahoma: Bob Stoops (Iowa 83), now in his fifth season with the Sooners, is 54-9 overall. He is 3-1 in bowls, 3-0 in January bowls, 2-0 in BCS games, 33-7 vs. the Big 12, 19-5 vs. the Big 12 South, 14-2 vs. the Big 12 North, 2-0 in the Big 12 Championship game, 21-2 vs. non-conference foes, 30-1 at home, 15-6 on the road, 9-2 on neutral fields, 18-2 against ranked foes and 3-1 vs. Texas Tech.
Texas Tech: Mike Leach (BYU 83) is in his fourth season at Texas Tech with a record of 30-20. He is 0-3 against Oklahoma. Leach was OU's offensive coordinator in 1999, Bob Stoops' first year at the Sooner helm.

ON THE AIR
ABC has the telecast. The announcers are Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (color) and Jack Arute (sideline). The Sooner Radio Network features Bob Barry, Sr., (play-by-play), Merv Johnson (color) and Mark Rodgers (sideline).

SOONERS RATE HIGH IN NCAA STATISTICS
Passing Efficiency -- Jason White, No. 1 (176.59), Scoring -- Trey DiCarlo, No. 2 (10.90), Field Goals -- Trey DiCarlo, No. 10 (1.7/game), Punt Returns -- Antonio Perkins, No. 13 (13.55), Total Offense -- Jason White, 17 (271.70) Receiving Yards/Game

SOONERS SEEK REGULAR SEASON PERFECTION
Oklahoma is trying to complete the regular season with an unblemished mark (unbeaten and untied) for the 10th time since 1938. The nine previous perfect regular seasons came in 2000, 1987, 1974, 1956, 1955, 1954, 1950, 1949 and 1938. Only one of those, the 2000 team, had a 12-game regular season.

WE WILL PROTECT OUR HOUSE
Oklahoma finished 7-0 at home, a best in school history. The 2003 team became the 29th Sooner club since 1938 to go unbeaten and untied at home, but was the first to do so with a seven-game home slate. OU won its home games this season by an average score of 50-11. The closest home game was a 34-13 win over then-No. 24 Missouri.

PUT ME IN COACH
Jason White ranks as one of the nation's top passers, but has had to do so in limited time. He has finished just three games this season and has sat out a total of one hour, 18 minutes and 50 seconds of game time. That's a full game, a full quarter and nearly four minutes of yet another quarter. He threw just four second-half passes vs. Texas and did not step on the playing surface for the second half vs. Texas A&M.

OU TOPS GRAD RATES
University of Oklahoma has announced that its students athletes achieved a record graduation rate of 74%, leading the Big 12 Conference. The graduation rate was announced as part of a national release by the NCAA. This report, which measures the class that entered in 1996, recognizes OU as one of 15 institutions that will receive a $20,000 achievement award sponsored by USA Today. The OU rate, which showed a 40% hike, experienced the greatest increase in I-A. OU also announced a record rate in football of 65%, which ranks No. 2 in the Big 12 behind Baylor's 75%. Eleven of 17 football players graduated. Four of the six who did not transferred in good academic standing.

OKLAHOMA'S MOST RECENT GAME
Oklahoma rolled to a 41-3 victory over Baylor last Saturday in Norman and gave Bob Stoops his 30th home victory in 31 tries ...
The Sooners jumped to a 24-0 first-quarter lead on the strength of three Jason White touchdown passes and a Trey DiCarlo field goal.
It was a school record setting day -- White set the mark for most TD passes in a season, Clayton established a new mark for career receiving yards and Antonio Perkins eclipsed the previous best for career punt return yards (facts and figures are in the notes that follow).
Senior S Matt McCoy, playing his final OU home game, had an interception return for 18 yards and a fumble return for six. The Sooner offense converted both takeaways into points (one field goal and one touchdown).
Oklahoma surrendered five sacks in the game.
Renaldo Works, OU's leading rusher, sat out a second straight game with a bruised back.

SOONERS NO. 1
Oklahoma is No. 1 for the 13th consecutive week, the third-longest streak to begin a season. The only teams to be No. 1 in more consecutive polls to start the season than Oklahoma are Florida State, which went wire-to-wire in 1999, and Nebraska, which had a run of 15 straight No. 1 rankings in 1983 until losing the Orange Bowl to Miami. Army and Notre Dame went wire-to-wire in 1945 and 1943 respectively, when the polls didn't begin until October.
The Associated Press college football poll debuted in 1936. Since that time, no team has spent more time in the No. 1 position than Notre Dame with 95 weeks. Oklahoma is second on the list and closing. Including this week's poll, OU has been the No. 1 team in 92 weeks. Ohio State is next at 74, followed by Miami at 69 and Florida State at 61.
This is the 20th week that Oklahoma has held AP's No. 1 spot since Bob Stoops arrived.
Oklahoma has been ranked among the AP's top 10 in every week but one since Oct. 6, 2000. That one exception saw the Sooners dip to No. 11 prior to defeating Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 2001 season. That win vaulted them back into the top 10.
Oklahoma was the preseason No. 1. It marked the ninth time overall and the first time since 1987 that the Sooners entered a year atop the AP rankings. In four of those seasons, OU went on to win the national championship.
Oklahoma has the third-longest active streak in terms of consecutive weeks in the AP rankings. Michigan tops the list at 89, followed by Miami at 67 and OU at 65.
During the current streak, there have been 780 game minutes. OU has led 776 minutes and 16 seconds. The other 3:44 were in this year's UCLA game, which the Sooners eventually won, 59-24. They trailed briefly, 10-7.

THE WHITE STUFF
The nation's leader in pass efficiency (174.45) also tops the I-A quarterbacks in touchdown percentage with one scoring strike every 10.84 passes. No other QB in the nation has more than 9.5.
Has at least one completion of 45 yards in all but one game this season. Has 16 completions of 40 or more yards this season. That's the most ever by an OU quarterback. Josh Heupel (1999) and Steve Davis (1973) both had 11.
White is now No. 3 on OU's career passing list with 3,914 career yards. He has played in 19 games.
He ranks No. 3 in passing yards in an OU season with 3,052, 554 behind No. 2 Josh Heupel (2000). His completion percentage of .651 is on course to break a school record that he already shares with Josh Heupel. With 36 touchdown passes, he now owns that OU record.
In his 15 career starts (OU is 14-1) combined, White is 273-of-423 (.645) for 3,626 yards and 38 TDs with nine INT. He did not play past the mid-point of the second quarter in two starts.
The 66-yard TD from White to Brandon Jones (vs. Oklahoma State) was a personal long for both. That pair also connected on a 64-yarder against North Texas.

Jason White's 36 touchdown passes have gotten plenty of attention and a school record. Perhaps even more impressive is the lesser of White's statistics, his interceptions. To date, he has thrown just six ...
Only three I-A quarterbacks have at least 30 touchdown passes this season, and of those three, White has the fewest interceptions ... White (OU) 36 TD, 6 INT; Rod Rutherford (Pitt) 31 TD, 8 INT; B.J. Symons (Texas Tech) 47 TD, 16 INT.
Dating back to the light-passing option days, only three Sooner quarterbacks threw fewer interceptions and none of those started more than five games.

ALL-BIG 12? HECK, ALL-AMERICAN
Nobody in the Big 12 exceeds Clayton in receiving yards per game (105.4) or touchdown receptions (14). Here's a look at his OU record book re-write ...
Career receiving yards record of 2,099
Single season receiving yards record of 1,159.
Receiving yards in a game (190 against Texas).
Most career 100-yard games (9).
Most touchdown receptions in a career (22) and season (14).
With 63 receptions and no worse than three games remaining he is taking aim at Trent Smith's record for catches in a season, which is 66 in 2001. Clayton ranks No. 5 nationally in receiving yards/game at 105.4, a statistic not buoyed by a pass happy offense -- he ranks No. 35 in receptions per game.
He ranks No. 5 in Oklahoma career receptions with 134.

MORE ON THE “MARK”
Mark Clayton is one of the top receivers in the nation and certainly one of the hottest ...
Has a touchdown reception in seven straight games. Twelve of his 14 TD grabs this season have come over the last seven games.
Has six 100-yard games this season and has had 93 or more receiving yards in nine consecutive outings. Caught two passes for 14 yards in the opener, but his worst game since then was three grabs for 54 yards.
Has nine pass receptions of 40 or more yards this season, the most by any player in school history (Tinker Owens had seven in 1973).
His 59-yard reception at Colorado was the longest of his career and his fourth of 50+ yards.
Clayton is a member of the kickoff coverage team and has been credited with five tackles. Against Texas A&M, he had 12 knockdown blocks including two on one play.
Here are other totals for Sooner players this season ... TE Lance Donley 3-17/10, RB Donta Hickson 3-73/55, RB Kejuan Jones 9-83/23, TE James Moses 3-33/18, FB J.D. Runnels 7-30, FB Dan Townsend 1-7, RB Renaldo Works 11-81/15.

GETTING THE POINT(S)
Oklahoma has six games this season with at least 50 points. That's a school record.
With 524 points, this is the third-highest scoring team in school history. The record for points in a season is 541 by the 2002 team. The record for average points in a season is 46.6 by the 56 national champions. This year's team is averaging 47.6.
The 77 points against Texas A&M tied for the second-highest total in the modern OU era.
This team has 39 touchdown passes, a school record that betters the 34 in 1999.

NOT GETTING THE POINT(S)
Oklahoma opponents have not scored a touchdown against the Sooner defense in 12 quarters (three games). Oklahoma State scored a TD against OU two games ago, but that came on an interception return.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER SUCCESS
Oklahoma has won 17 of its last 18 contests against schools from the state of Texas. This year's Sooner roster includes 46 natives of the Lone Star state.

SACK RECORD SACKED
With 45 sacks, this team has set a school record, eclipsing the previous best of 41 in 1997. It's interesting that the 03 club took just 10 games to take down a record that was set in 12.
Last year's team had 37 sacks through 14 games (2.6/game). The 2003 Sooners have nearly doubled that number with 4.1 sacks per game.
The defensive line (two ends and two tackles) already owns 33 sacks this season. Last year, those same positions accounted for just 19 through the entire 14-game schedule.
On the flip side, Oklahoma has gone back to pass 373 times this season, but has suffered just 18 sacks. The Sooner defense has 45 sacks in 369 drop backs by the opponents.
Ten times under Bob Stoops OU's offense has not allowed a sack.

TREY GOOD FOR THREE
K Trey DiCarlo is enjoying a strong season ...
He has made 19-of-20 field goals. Seven (7-of-7) of his field goal makes came from 40 yards or longer. He had just three makes from at least 40 yards all of last season.
Of the I-A kickers, only one has a higher FG% than DiCarlo's .950. Ole Miss's Jonathan Woods, who handles placements but not kickoffs, is 23-of-24 for .958.
Equaled his career-long field goal with a 46-yarder in the opener against North Texas.
Has made 14 straight field goals, the longest string of his career. He has made 26 of his last 28 field goal attempts and now ranks No. 5 on the school's career list with 35.
He has 13 multiple field goal games including six this season.
He has 38 touchbacks on kickoffs after posting just nine all of last season.
Tied the school record for PATs in a game with 11.

ABOUT THE SOONER OFFENSE
If the season ended now, the 466.2 total yards per game would rank No. 8 at OU.
5 -- Number of 200-yard rushing games by the Sooners in Bob Stoops' first three years at OU.
10 -- Number of 200-yard rushing games by the Sooners in the next three seasons (2001-03) under Stoops. Three have come this season.
OU has eclipsed 100 rushing yards in eight of its 11 games this season.
OU averages one interception every 51 passing attempts, the foes one every 22 attempts.
OU has completed 50 percent of its passes in every game but one this season.
This team's completion percentage of .657 would break the OU mark of .642 (2000). Four of the five top season completion percentage marks at OU have been set under Bob Stoops.
Under Bob Stoops, OU's offense has produced the career passing leader, the top four career receivers and the No. 4 career rusher in school history.
Over the last five seasons, the Sooners have scored 67 TDs that covered 25+ yards.
The quick-striking offense has 174 scoring drives of two minutes or less under Bob Stoops.
OU scored on its first offensive possession in 10 of 11 games -- four FG and six TD. The Sooners failed to do so in game nine (OSU), but made a FG on the second possession.

ABOUT THE SOONER DEFENSE
In the last three games, foes had 2.4 yards/play and completed 29-of-68 passes (.426).
Only two opponents reached their season passing yardage average vs. Oklahoma.
Only one Big 12 foe reached its passing yardage average for the season, and that was Missouri, which lost to the Sooners by 24 points.
The opponents' leading receiver failed to reach his yards per game average in eight.
The opponents' leading receivers have combined to average 4.4 receptions for 42.4 yards and COMBINED to score one touchdown. None has reached 100 yards.
OU has faced two Biletnikoff semifinalists " Texas' Roy Williams and Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods. Williams had seven catches for 89 yards, although four of those receptions and 37 of the yards came after halftime when OU had built a substantial lead. Woods had four catches for 25 yards. Neither caught a touchdown pass against OU.
The defense has three touchdowns this year. A 34-yard INT by Eric Bassey against UCLA, a 21-yard INT return by Jonathan Jackson against Texas and a 17-yard fumble return by Derrick Strait vs. Texas A&M.
OU ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 in fourth down D' -- opponents are just 6-of-18 for 33.3%.
Oklahoma has forced at least one turnover in 57 of the last 63 games (Stoops' tenure) and has at least one interception in 44 of the last 51 contests. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that OU has had multiple interceptions in 13 of the last 23 games.
Sooner opponents have completed 50% of their passes just 25 times in the last 63 games.
OU foes have scored 14 or more points just 23 times in the last 63 games.
Under Stoops, the Sooners have six shutouts. Opponents failed to score more than seven points in 20 of the 63 games.
Last season, OU led the nation with 24 interceptions. It was the third straight season the team posted 20, a first at OU.
Over its last three bowl games, all in January and two as part of the BCS, OU has given up a grand total of 19 points. Only two touchdowns have been scored against the OU defense.

ABOUT THE SPECIAL TEAMS
A look at special teams notes from Bob Stoops' era as OU's head coach ...
There have been 20 special teams TDs, including 13 in the last 33 regular season games. Those 13 came via five different kinds of plays -- eight punt returns, two faked field goals, a blocked punt, a kickoff return and a faked punt. The special teams also own one safety.
OU has returned five kickoffs and 11 punts for touchdowns.
The Sooners have blocked 16 kicks.
OU has recovered its only onside kick attempt this season (at Colorado).

DRIVE FOR SHOW
Various points on offensive drives by Oklahoma and its opponents ...
OU opponents have gone three-and-out 73 times in 151 possessions (that does not include drives that ended due to clock expiration at the end of a half). The Sooners have gone three-and-out 31 times in 149 possessions.
Oklahoma has mounted 20 possessions that included at least 10 plays. The longest was a 16-play effort against Iowa State. OU opponents have had 12 drives of 10 or more plays. The most plays were posted by Baylor, which ran 18 on its way to a field goal.
OU's longest offensive possession in terms of time last nine minutes and 16 seconds against Oklahoma State. The above-mentioned Baylor drive was the longest by time for a foe this season at 8:28.
The Sooners have had 19 drives that consumed at least four minutes. The opponents have 12.
Twenty-nine of Oklahoma's scoring drives have taken less than two minutes. The opponents have seven.
Oklahoma has had 16 drives that covered at least 80 yards and three that covered at least 90. The longest was a 99-yarder against Oklahoma State. The opponents have one 80-yard drive and that one was 80 right on the nose by Alabama.
OU has had six one-play scoring drives. The opponents have none.

TURNOVERS TURNED OFF
OU had fewer turnovers than its opponent in 18 of 25 games over the last two seasons.
OU ranks No. 5 nationally in turnover margin at +1.3.
OU has 26 takeaways to just 11 turnovers lost.

AP ALL-AMERICAN
OU's version of AP, Antonio Perkins, is certainly bucking for that honor in the role of return specialist. He has the seven career punt returns for touchdown including four this season ...
The NCAA career record of eight career punt returns for touchdowns is held by Wes Welker, who currently plays for Texas Tech.
Perkins, with 1,274 yards in career punt returns is the all-time OU leader in that category and became such as a junior in just his 25th game as the Sooners' punt returner.

THAT'S A COMBINED 602 POUNDS ON THE PROWL
Two of OU's bigger linemen covered some serious ground in making plays this season ...
Jammal Brown (6-6, 313), OU's right tackle, ran down and tackled UCLA LB Spencer Havner at the end of a 72-yard interception return.
DT Tommie Harris (6-3, 289) covered 21 yards to tackle Iowa State WR Jack Whitver from behind and force a fumble that OU recovered. When QB Austin Flynn released the pass, Harris was four yards deep in the backfield at the ISU 22. The tackle occurred at the ISU 43.

SOONER STUFF
Bob Stoops' teams have held a double-digit lead in 55 of 63 games ... OU has not suffered back-to-back losses under Stoops ... Stoops is 49-3 when leading at the half, 3-3 when trailing at the half and 2-3 when tied at the half ... OU is 40-23 all-time in Big 12 play (formed for the 1996 season), 32-7 since Bob Stoops arrived in 1999 ... this season, OU scored more than 50 points in four straight games, a first in school history ... the offensive line contains no seniors, but has a combined 138 starts ... OU has forced its opponents into 22 punts over the last two games and the OU foes are just one punt shy of having twice as many as the Sooners ... Oklahoma has outscored its opponents in the second period this season by a whopping count of 191-22.

STOOPS LEDGER
When Bob Stoops arrived at Oklahoma prior to the 1999 season, it had been five seasons since the storied Sooner program had finished above .500, four since it last played in a bowl game. In Stoops' first four seasons, OU captured a national championship, 43 victories and four bowl appearances. The lightning-quick return to national prominence was so complete as to almost obliterate perhaps the most impressive achievement of all ... the turnaround itself. Few could have envisioned OU's dip in the middle 90's. Fewer could have predicted the extent to which the Schooner would be righted under Stoops. The head coach stubbornly points to the program as a whole when defining the resurgence. Humility aside, it is Stoops who deserves a lion's share of the credit ...

He is the first OU coach to take his first four teams to bowl games.
One of 18 head coaches hired on the D-I level in 1999, he has been the most successful of the class with a 54-9 mark.
More than 75 school records have been set during the his tenure.
In 31 home games, his teams have out-scored their opponents 1,227-288.
Every home game of his OU tenure has been a sellout.
During his tenure, OU has 21 national television appearances, 10 vists from ESPN's GameDay and six cover photos on Sports Illustrated.
The team set a record football graduation rate of 65%, which ranked No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference in the most recently released figures.

If not for its meteoric pace, Stoops' career would read like a textbook rise in the coaching profession. A four-year starter as a player at Iowa, he began his coaching career in a volunteer capacity at his alma mater in 1983. He worked through the ranks until he became co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State from 1991-95. With the Wildcats, he played a key role in the impressive turnaround. During his final four seasons there, K-State was 35-12 with three bowl appearances. Then came a three-year stint as Florida's defensive coordinator from 1996-98. It was during that time that the national spotlight focused on his accomplishments. The move to a head coaching role was a hiring for the ages in Norman.

PLAYER NOTES
LB Gayron Allen
Got his first career start vs. Oklahoma State and responded with eight tackles, one sack for -8 and one pass broken up ... had seven tackles and another sack vs. A&M ... eight TFL since becoming the starter.

DB Eric Bassey
Returned an INT 34 yards for a TD vs. UCLA ... also forced a fumble against the Bruins.

DE Larry Birdine
RS frosh got his first career start at Colorado ... has a sack in four of the last nine games ... eight total TFL.

WR Mark Bradley
Moved from CB to WR in preseason ... two receptions for 83 yards at Alabama ... first career KO return at Iowa State went 100 yards for a TD ... against OSU, he threw a 17-yard TD pass to Mark Clayton on a trick play, making he and his father, Danny, former OU QB, only the second father-son duo in school history to throw TD passes ... also caught a 14-yard TD pass vs. OSU ... only fourth Sooner to throw and catch a TD in the same game.

LT Jammal Brown
A starter in 23 consecutive games ... has graded the highest of all the OU offensive linemen thus far ... 98 knockdowns and one sack allowed ... ran down UCLA linebacker Spencer Havner to make the tackle on a 72-yard interception return
.
C Chris Bush
Started game one at center ... may be OU's most versatile lineman ... seeing action as a reserve at left guard.

C Vince Carter
On watch list for Rimington Award ... 30 career starts ... has 60 knockdowns and just two sacks allowed this season.

OG Kelvin Chaisson
Has started 16 straight games at left guard.

LB Wayne Chambers
Soph became the starter in the middle when Lance Mitchell went down ... had 10 tackles against UCLA in his first start ... missed Oklahoma State and A&M games with an ankle injury.

WR Mark Clayton
See previous pages ... nominated for FWAA's Courage Award for his role in helping victims in a serious auto accident.

DE Dan Cody
Has 14 TFL and eight sacks, including three vs. OSU ... entered season with three career sacks ... six QB hurries vs. Alabama, UCLA ... three TFL vs. Missouri, including one sack for -11 ... missed Colorado game due to injury.

K Trey DiCarlo
A finalist for the Groza Award ... had made 19-of-20 field goals ... has 38 touchbacks on kickoffs ... made at least one field goal of 40 yards in six games (7-of-7 from 40 or more yards) ... made 14 consecutive field goals.

TE Lance Donley
Had no TD receptions through the first 37 games of his career and has two this season.

DT Dusty Dvoracek
Second on team with seven sacks ... two sacks each vs. Iowa State and Missouri ... batted a pass against Texas that Jonathan Jackson intercepted and returned 21 yards for a TD ... leads team with 15 TFL and trying to become the first OU interior lineman to lead the team in that stat since Kelly Gregg in 1998.

FS Brandon Everage
Fourth on the team with 51 tackles ... sat out the first game, then logged 10 tackles, including one for loss at Alabama.

P Blake Ferguson
Has a 42.1-yard average on 38 punts ... eleven have been downed inside the 20 (one at the four and another at the one) ... has 10 boots of 50 or more yards (three more than 01) ... season-best 59-yarder vs. Alabama and Missouri.

DT Tommie Harris
Only interior DL among the four Lombardi Award finalists ... on the Nagurski and Outland lists... returned a fumble 14 yards against UCLA ... one sack and a fumble forced at Iowa State ... four QB hurries against Missouri.

RB Donta Hickson
Had 18 rushes for 57 yards through the first five games, but has 53 for 223 in the last three ... career-best 131 yards on 24 carries against A&M ... 55-yard reception vs. Texas.

DE Jonathan Jackson
Has 22 career starts ... led team with 21 hurries last season and is leading again this year with 24 ... returned an INT 21 yards vs. Texas for his only career TD ... five sacks, including four over the last five games ... FR vs. Oklahoma State.

LB Pasha Jackson
Plays on strong side ... missed Iowa State, Texas, Missouri and Colorado games with a sprained knee.

WR Brandon Jones
Plays in the outfield for OU baseball team ... career highs with 10 grabs for 121 yards vs. North Texas (had 64-yard TD grab) ... deep threat also has TD catches of 66 (Oklahoma State), 59 (at Colorado) and 47 yards (at Alabama).
RB Kejuan Jones
Got his first career start at Alabama ... 274 yards on 59 carries ( 4.6) over the last three games ... career-high 120 yards on 24 carries vs. A&M ... two touchdowns in two of the last three games.

OG Davin Joseph
A true sophomore, he is already talked about as one of the most talented players OU has ever had at his position ... moved into a starting role for the Big 12 Championship and Rose Bowl games last season and remained ever since.

DT Kory Klein
Has 35 starts at Oklahoma ... string of 28 consecutive starts ended at Alabama.

LB Teddy Lehman
Finalist for the Butkus Award ... team leader with 97 tackles ... one of the fastest LBs in the country ... four pass break ups ... 17 tackles and an interception against UCLA ... 11 tackles vs. OSU, 12 vs. Baylor, 10 vs. Missouri.

S Matt McCoy
Plays in nickel and dime situations ... has nine career takeaways (six INT, three FR) ... returned INT 18 yards and fumble six yards vs. Baylor ... holder for placements, he ran in a two-point conversion on a faked PAT against Fresno State.

DT Lynn McGruder
Has a sack in two of the last four games ... nominated for the FWAA's Courage Award for his role in helping victims in a serious auto accident.

LB Lance Mitchell
OU's top tackler in 02 with 124, he is out for the year after tearing his left ACL vs. Fresno State. Had surgery 9/22/03.

TE James Moses
Three catches for 30 yards in his first career start (vs. North Texas) ... started first two games ... 28-yard grab vs. UCLA.

SS Donte Nicholson
Double digit tackles in two games (11 vs. Texas, 10 vs. Missouri) ... has a sack in five of last seven games ... TD-saving interception and eight tackles at Alabama ... recovered a fumble and returned it 11 yards at CU ... INT vs. OSU.

WR Will Peoples
Missed first two games (inj.), then had three grabs for 29 yards vs. Fresno State ... five grabs for 80 yards and a 45-yard TD at Iowa State ... 20-yard TD grab vs. Texas ... two grabs for 40 yards and TD vs. Baylor ... doubtful for Tech (inj).

CB Antonio Perkins
One of the top returners in college football also draws the start at CB this season ... interceptions at Alabama, Colorado.

FS Brodney Pool
Started opener and had career-best 11 tackles ... two picks at ISU ... leads team with four INT ... blocked a PAT at CU.

WR Jejuan Rankins
Two TD receptions vs. North Texas in first career start ... scored on 15-yard receptions against Iowa State and Texas, then got a 30-yard TD catch vs. Missouri and a seven-yarder against A&M.

FB J.D. Runnels
Starter at H-back ... excellent blocker ... 17-yard reception at Alabama ... caught TD passes vs. Fresno State and Texas.

DB Brandon Shelby
Used in extra DB sets ... HM All-Big 12 last season with no starts ... one INT, four sacks and two blocks in 2002 ... blocked a punt against Baylor.

OT Wes Sims
Has 30 career starts, including 31 at left tackle ... came off the bench against North Texas, but has started since then.

CB Derrick Strait
Thorpe finalist and a member of the Nagurski Watch List ... career leader for games started and consecutive starts by a DB ... consecutive streak ended at 43 when he was sidelined for the UCLA game ... entered season with one FR but has four this season ... career-high 11 tackles with two FR, 1 INT and 3 PBU vs. Texas ... INTs vs. Texas and Alabama ... returned a fumble 17 yards for TD against Texas A&M.

QB Paul Thompson
Hit 5-of-6 for 38 yards and one TD in opener ... 50-yard rush vs. Fresno State, the longest by a Sooner QB since 1998 ... against A&M, he completed 2-of-3 passes for 34 yards and rushed six times for 79 yards and two TD.

QB Jason White
See notes earlier in this release.

WR Travis Wilson
Physical receiver ... TD catches against North Texas and Iowa State ... 12-yard TD grab vs. A&M.

RB Renaldo Works
Exceeded 80 rushing yards in five games, including 130 at Colorado, 112 vs. Texas and 103 vs. Oklahoma State ... missed A&M and Baylor games with bruised back.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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